FBC, one of the film industry's premier caterers, is now based at Screen Australia Studios and has taken over the running of the on-site cafe as well as providing a catering service to our Studio and Roxy clients.

Darren and Teresa Hanna, FBCs owners say:

"FBC is well known in the industry for the quality of both our food and our service. During the past 10 years we have catered to the crews of over 1000 commercials, tv series and local and overseas feature films. We are delighted to be managing the cafe as well as offering our usual high services to the film industry."

Contact Darren and Teresa Hanna
Email fringebenefits@optusnet.com.au
Darren's mobile 0413 614 155
Teresa's mobile 0413 614 144
Cafe +61 (0)2 9413 8605
Fax +61 (0)2 9413 8650

Award-winning director/producer team Janet Merewether and Deborah Szapiro recently completed a two-week shoot at Film Australia for their new documentary, Jabe Babe - A Heightened Life.

The 52-minute film uses a high degree of stylisation, exciting visual treatment, complex effects and elaborate sets. DOP Jackie Farkas shot many of the visual effects in-camera. Production design was by Karla Urizar with Georgia Wallace-Crabbe as production manager. Roland Gallois is the film's editor.

Writes Janet Merewether: "The film explores the personal and medical experiences of 29-year-old Jabe Babe.

At 6ft 3 inches (190 cm), Jabe Babe stands out from the crowd. Her elongated face and limbs are common characteristics of her genetic condition known as Marfan Syndrome. One of the most common but least publicly known genetic disorders, Marfan Syndrome affects at least one in 3000 people, regardless of race or gender. This connective tissue disorder weakens the 'glue' in the body, resulting in a distinctive physical and medical profile such as Jabe's. Aortic aneurism, lens and retinal detachment, arachnodactyly (spider fingers) and high arched palate are some of the possible manifestations of the disorder, which is usually fatal if left undiagnosed.

Jabe Babe has all the usual aspirations to lead a happy, healthy life, but her physical characteristics, particularly her height, affect her in many ways, including her relationships and the choice of work available to her. Jabe works as a dominatrix and lives on the margins, defying society's expectations of the 'normal' 'feminine' body and sexuality.

Despite a lifetime of having her body regarded as an interesting specimen for medical professionals to examine, Jabe resists the medicalisation of her body and takes great joy in her difference. She works with her height theatrically, exploring the possibilities of visual transformation in characters such as 'Calamity Pain' and 'The Queen of Mean'.

Jabe Babe - A Heightened Life enters the world of a tall woman with a very tall tale, who has learned that a strong character and a good sense of humour are essentials for survival."

Janet Merewether is a film director/producer and media artist who also works as a curator, lecturer and designer of motion graphics and film titles. Her award-winning short films and videos - including Cheap Blonde, Contemporary Case Studies, and Short Before the Movie - have screened in festivals internationally, including the 2001 New York Film Festival, Tampere Film Festival and the 2003 New Directors/New Films at MoMA New York.

Janet's latest film Palermo - 'History' Standing Still, a short experimental documentary, received a Dendy Award (General) at the 2004 Sydney Film Festival as well as being nominated for an ATOM Award (Best Experimental) and an AFI Award (Best Editing in a Non-Feature). Her recent short video project, Knit-Face, is screening in the ACMI/National Gallery of Victoria 2004 - Australian Culture Now exhibition, as part of the ACMI/SBSI 'ARTV' series.